Frequently Asked Questions

The FILE NO: is your license number.

Your license will expire the last day of your birth month with the exception of Owner-only salon licenses which expire the last day of June each year.

• License Fees are as follows:
  $10.00 - Duplicate License
  $5.00 - Lost Renewal Application
  $20.00 - Demonstrator
  $40.00 - Cosmetologist/Operator, Barber, Manicurist, Facialist, Cosmetician, Advanced Operator
  $45.00 - Facial Instructor, Manicurist Instructor, Beauty Establishment Renewal, Barber Establishment Renewal, Nail Establishment Renewal, Cosmetic Studio Renewal
  $100.00 - Massage Therapist* - the penalty occurs the day after it expires
  
• If your license has been expired over two months, an additional $10 penalty fee is due.
      _{*is a biennial license}

• If you have lost or misplaced your renewal slip/form, please include a note with your name, current address, phone number, and date of birth, along with your fees due in the form of a money order or cashier's check.
• Please add an additional $5.00 fee to your total due for the lost renewal application.

• You may be eligible to renew your license up to five years with back fees and penalties.
• After five years you will be required to complete a specific number of review hours before you are eligible to re-register for the exam.
• Both written and practical parts of the exam are required after you complete the review hours.

You will be required to take review hours in a school or apprenticeship and re-test to re-apply for current licensure.

• You will need to fill out and submit a certification of records request form with the $10.00 fee.
• We will mail the certification directly to the named State Board.
• We will mail you a receipt verifying that it has been mailed. 

• A Demonstrator is a person who is not licensed by this state as a Cosmetologist or Instructor and who demonstrates any cosmetic preparation in a cosmetic studio/school.
• The person shall be required to obtain the Demonstrator license from the Board before making such demonstrations.
• The forms and instructions to apply are available on this site under the forms section.

• Please submit legal documentation to substantiate the name change, such as a marriage license or divorce decree, or if you have had your name changed on your driver's license you may make a copy of that and send it in to the Board.
• To request a new copy of the license with the updated name, include a payment of $5 for a reprint or submit the correct payment amount for renewal.

• You are required to submit completed beauty/nail salon license application forms.
• Additionally, the previous owner must submit a shop clearance form.
• Specific instructions and the form are available on this website under the forms section.
• It is a misdemeanor under Oklahoma law to operate a salon without a license.
• Applicants who, for any reason, have opened a salon without applying for a license are subject to a $10 penalty fee, and/or other legal recourse available to the Board.

• It is a violation of Oklahoma Cosmetology Law for any out of state/country licensee to practice cosmetology in Oklahoma prior to obtaining his/her Oklahoma Cosmetology license.
• Salon owners are subject to disciplinary action if found to be employing any person without an appropriate license or permit.

• You and the Co-Owner being removed from the license, are required to submit a completed UnderJoint/Change of Ownership Affidavit.
• Additional information is available on this website under the forms section.

• You must provide the Board with a completed change of location affidavit.
• This form and additional information is available on this website under the forms section.

• You must provide the Board with a completed shop clearance form.
• This form and additional information is available on this website under the forms section.

• The contract agreement you sign with the school is between you and the school.
• Questions regarding financial aid, student loans etc, are not within the legislative authority of the Board.
• Please contact your school or your lender for more information.

• Basic Cosmetology – 1500 clock hours or 50 credit hours
• Manicurist/Nail Technician – 600 clock hours or 30 credit hours
• Facial Operator/Esthetician – 600 clock hours or 30 credit hours
• Master Instructor – 1000 clock hours or 34 credit hours
• Nail Technician Instructor – 1000 clock hours or 34 credit hours
• Esthetics Instructor – 1000 clock hours or 34 credit hours
• Cosmetician – 600 clock hours or 30 credit hours
• Hairbraiding Technician – 600 clock hours or 30 credit hours
• Must also hold a current cosmetology, manicurist or facialist license to be eligible to register for these courses.

• These are two different ways schools use to measure progress.
• Credit is given with specific conversion from clock hours to credit hours as determined by the school’s accrediting body.

• You must submit proof of at least an eight grade education to be eligible to register for the Basic cosmetology, Manicurist, Facialist, Cosmetician or Hairbraiding Technician courses.
• You must submit proof of a high school diploma or GED to be eligible to register for any of the Instructor courses.

The Board requires a $5 student registration fee when you register in school.

• For consideration, the proposed apprentice must submit a letter of hardship explaining why school cannot be attended and why training in school would be a hardship.
• You must train under the supervision of a currently licensed Master Instructor, Facial Instructor or Nail Technician Instructor (depending on the course you are registering for).
• The proposed Instructor must also submit a letter to the Board stating they are willing to apprentice you and that the salon meets all the minimum requirements as listed in the Rules, Regulations and Cosmetology Law Book for training.
• The salon owner, if different from the Instructor, must submit a letter stating they are willing to have an apprenticeship program in their salon.
• The Board will review the request for apprenticeship letters.
• If the Director tentatively approves the program, the Inspector will contact the Instructor to set up an interview.
• If the Director does not approve, you will receive a written response.

• You may be eligible to be credited with 500 clock hours towards the 1000 hours course completion.
• Please contact the school of your choice to see if they offer the 500 hour course.
• They will assist you to find out if you are eligible by submitting proof of work experience from the preceding two years on the prescribed Board forms.

• You will need to submit a request in writing for a certification/affidavit of hours which includes your name, address and information regarding you cosmetology education (i.e. where attended school, dates etc.).
• You will also need to include any names you were registered in school under.
• Tell us where you would like the certification/affidavit mailed if it is different from your mailing address.
• You must also include a $10 cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology.

• If you dropped prior to July 1, 2004, you have lost all your previous hours.
• If you dropped after July 1, 2004, your hours are still good.

• You must obtain a certification/affidavit of hours from the State Board of Cosmetology in the state in which you obtained your cosmetology hours.
• You must also include a $30 cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology.
• You may submit the certification/affidavit and fee with your State Board student registration paperwork from the Oklahoma cosmetology school.

When you complete your course, you and the school are responsible for completing your exam registration form and submitting a $35 registration fee, payable by cashier's check or money order, within 10 days of course completion.

• No. You are issued two work permits.
• If you fail the exam and/or fail to appear and are not excused, you will not be issued any further work permits.
• You cannot work until you have passed the exam and applied for a license.

• If you passed your exam less than one year ago, you are still eligible to apply for your license.
• Please contact the Board for the exact fee due.
• If it has been over one year, you will be required to complete a specific number of review hours and take both portions of the exam again.
• Please contact the Board for the specific number of review hours required.

• You must obtain a certification/affidavit of hours from the State Board where you earned your hours along with a $30 cashier’s check or money order.
• We will review your certification/affidavit and if you meet the requirements for Oklahoma licensure, you will be mailed a registration for examination.

• You may be eligible for a work permit when the Board receives an exam registration indicating course completion and a $35 exam registration fee.
• The work permit will be mailed with your notice to appear for exam and instructions.
• A work permit is not allowed for the Instructor courses.

• Once you complete your course, you never lose your hours.
• You may register for the exam within one year of course completion.
• If it has been over one year, you must complete a specific number of review hours in order to be eligible to register for the exam again.
• Please contact the Board for the number of review hours required.

• Pre-registration is allowed in the months of March, April and May only.
• A work permit is not issued until such time as the school submits an affidavit indicating course completion.

• If you fail to appear for the scheduled exam due to emergency circumstances (which is considered by the Board to be a serious injury, illness, or death in the immediate family) you must notify the Board in writing within five days after the exam date and include documentation of the emergency, i.e. physician's statement, etc.
• If you are excused, you will be re-scheduled for the exam (without charge) and your work permit will remain valid.
• If it is not an emergency, you will be considered a failure to appear.
• You will be mailed another exam registration and another $35 fee is required.

• You have the option to take a computer based test with PSI.
• To be eligible, you must first submit an exam re-registration and $35 fee to the Board and include a note that you will be taking the written exam at a PSI facility in your area.
• It is your responsibility to contact PSI to schedule the computer exam at 1-800-211-2754 or www.test-takers.psiexams.com/okcos.
• Any fees due to PSI for testing is the student's responsibility.

• The State Board does our best to process exam registrations and fees in a timely manner.
• We use regular mail and it usually takes about a week to receive your notice to appear, instructions and work permit.
• You are welcome to hand deliver your exam registration and fee to the office of the Board.
• If everything is complete, you will receive a receipt for your fee and a work permit if you are eligible.

• If you re-register within one year, only the portion of the exam that you failed is required.
• After one year, both parts of the exam are required.
• Both parts of the exam are also required if you have completed review hours in school.

• You must submit a written request for a reader for the written exam at the same time you register for the examination.
• The written request must verify the validity of the disability.
• Proof documentation may be required.
• The disability must be defined by the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Every reasonable accommodation will be considered.

• If you fail the exam or fail to appear for a scheduled exam, your work permit is void.
• It will be illegal for you to practice cosmetology until you have re-registered for the exam.
• In the event you should fail the exam or fail to appear for a scheduled exam a second time, you many not be issued a work permit until you pass the exam.

• Have the sending state send OSBCB a certification of records prior to submitting the domestic reciprocity application. 
• You must provide the Board with a completed Reciprocity application form and meet the requirements for licensure.
• Once application is processed, you will receive a work permit with a test date and time to complete a 34 question open book safety and sanitation test.
• Please follow the instructions listed on the domestic reciprocity application. 
• It is a violation of Oklahoma Cosmetology Law for any out of state/country licensee to practice cosmetology in Oklahoma prior to obtaining his/her Oklahoma Cosmetology license.

• All educational records must be verified and translated through a Board approved accrediting agency.
• Approved accrediting agencies are listed on the application. 
• Upon receiving a notification that the evaluation has been completed, Applicant must email the Executive Director  to schedule an appointment.
• You must provide the Board with a completed foreign reciprocity application form  and meet the requirements for licensure.
• It is a violation of Oklahoma Cosmetology Law for any out of state/country licensee to practice cosmetology in Oklahoma prior to obtaining his/her Oklahoma Cosmetology license.

• To request a duplicate license, send in a payment of $10.00, payable by money order or cashier's check to "OSBCB".
• Include a letter with your name, address, contact number, and file number.

• To renew your license, you may submit the renewal by mail or by visiting our office.
• Online renewal is NOT available to Massage Therapists at this time. Please send in the following:
  
  1. Renewal application that came attached to your license.*
  2. Money order or cashier's check for $100 for a 2 year license.
  3. A copy of your insurance policy showing that it is still current.
  4. A copy of your certificate or transcript showing that you completed the correct amount of CEUs.**
  
  
• *If you no longer have the renewal application that came attached to your license, you may send in a note with your name, address, phone number, and file number or social security number. You will also need to include an additional $5 on your payment for the missing renewal application.
• **Renewal requires five (5) continuing education units (CEU’s) per year based on current license.

• A licensee shall complete five (5) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) per year.

• Continuing Education may be in the form of in-person certification or distance learning.
• Acceptable continuing education shall address topics within the scope of practice of massage therapy as defined in the Massage Therapy Practice Act or related business practices and may include training in CPR or First Aid.
• In order to receive credit for CPR or First Aid, the licensee must take a complete course with certification.
• The Board shall accept continuing education approved or provided by any of the following:
  

1. a state-licensed or accredited massage therapy school;
2. an accredited institution of higher education;
3. local, state, or national chapters of professional organizations that address improvement of the profession, including but not limited to the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), American Massage Therapy Association, and the American Bodywork and Massage Professionals;
4. the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB);
5. A seminar licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private and Vocational Schools (OBPVS);
6. The State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering;
7. Any entity authorized to provide certification in CPR or First Aid that meets or exceeds standards set by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross; or
8. A continuing education provider approved by the Advisory Board

• Since there are so many options available online, this is not a comprehensive list.
• Listed below are some massage therapy organizations and Oklahoma Massage Therapy that offer CEUs.
  

1. AMTA - Please contact AMTA for more information about CEUs.
2. ABMP - Please contact ABMP for more information about CEUs.
3. Institute for Integrative Healthcare - Please contact the Institute for Integrative Healthcare for more information about CEUs.
4. NCBTMB - Please contact NCBTMB for more information about CEUs.
   

• A list of State licensed schools can be located on the Oklahoma State Board of Private Vocational Schools website. Please contact the schools individually for more information regarding CEUs.

• No, CEUs must be completed during the licensing period for which they are due.
• The licensing period is from the date you receive the license to when it expires.
• You may complete as many CEUs as desired, but the extra CEUs cannot be used to renew your license the following years.

• You must provide the Board with a completed Massage Therapy reciprocity application form and meet the requirements for licensure.
• The State of Oklahoma does not recognize license for license. If your education is from another State, is consider reciprocity. Must meet all the same requirements for original licensure.

• You must provide the Board with a completed Reciprocity application form and meet the requirements for license. Specific details and instructions are available on this website under the forms section.

• Contact the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) to take the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), you can reach them at 866-962-3926, or visit their website.

The Board is not accepting applications for Massage Therapy Establishment Licenses at this time; please continue to check back for updates.

• Please contact the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools for more information on becoming an instructor. Phone number: (405) 528-3370.